Keystone Agriculture Producers in Manitoba concerned over Canada Transportation Act Review

WINNIPEG – Keystone Agriculture Producers in Manitoba is echoing concerns that other groups have raised about a recommendation by the Canada Transportation Act Review to phase out the Maximum Revenue Entitlement for railways.

But Mazier says his group is also concerned about a recommendation to phase-out the 160-kilometre inter-switching provision.

The provision allows railways to use one another’s tracks for 160 kilometres, so that if one railway can’t get rail cars to an elevator or terminal for pick-up, the grain shipper can use the services of the other railway.

Ottawa increased the radius for inter-switching from 30 kilometres to 160 kilometres in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 2014 in a move to improve service to Prairie grain elevators.